New Immigrants

From: "David LaBonte"

My wife, Rosemary, wrote a wonderful letter to the editor Of the OC Register which, of course, was not printed. So, I  decided To "print" it myself by sending it out on the Internet. Pass it  along if You feel so inclined.

Dave LaBonte (signed)

      Written in response to a series of letters to the editor

      In the Orange County Register:

      Dear Editor:

      So many letter writers have based their arguments on how

      This land is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one,  suggests we

      Should tear down the Statute of Liberty because the people now  in

      Question aren't being treated the same as those who passed through Ellis      

      Island and other ports of entry.

      Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to

      People like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing to

      Accept this new kind of immigrant any longer.

      Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of

      Europe to come to the United States, people had to get off a ship

      And stand in a long line in New York and be documented. Some would even

      Get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a

      Pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad

      Times. They made learning English a primary rule in their new American

      Households and some even changed their names to blend in with their new

      Home.

      They had waved good bye to their birth place to give their

      Children a new life and did everything in their power to

      Help their children assimilate into one culture. Nothing was handed

      To them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them.

      All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had brought with

      Them to trade for a future of prosperity.

      Most of their children came of age when World War II broke

      Out. My father fought along side men whose parents had come

      Straight over from Germany, Italy, France and Japan. None of these 1st

      Generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their

      Parents had come from.

      They were Americans fighting Hilter, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan.

      They were defending the United States of America as one

      People. When we liberated France, no one in those villages were

      Looking for the French-American or the German American or the Irish

      American. The people of France saw only Americans. And we carried one

      Flag that   represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have

      Thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to

      Represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who

      Had sacrificed so much to be here. These immigrants truly knew what it

      Meant to be an American. They stirred the melting pot into one red,  

      White and blue bowl.

      And here we are in 2006 with a new kind of immigrant who

      Wants the same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it

      By playing with a different set of rules, one that includes the

      Entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to their mother

      Country. I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is all about.

      I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island

      In the early 1900s deserve better than that for all the toil,

      Hard work and sacrifice in raising future generations to create a land

      That has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better life.

      I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example

      By those waving foreign country flags.

      And for that suggestion about taking down the Statute of

      Liberty, it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are

      Voting on the immigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about

      Dismantling the United States just yet.

      (signed)

      Rosemary LaBonte

      P.S. Pass this on to everyone you know!!! KEEP THIS LETTER MOVING!!

      I hope this letter gets read by millions of people all

      Across the nation!! ~~ R.p.